Twin Peaks-Did Agent Cooper ever escape the Black Lodge?

In the final episode of "Twin Peaks," Laura Palmer says to Agent Dale Cooper, "I'll see you in 25 years." In the end of the movie: "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me," we see Cooper and Laura in the Black Lodge, but there's an angel with them. Laura is older, a woman now. Does that mean that by waiting 25 years (presumably, for Gerard to defeat "BOB" at last), he and Laura are granted page into the White Lodge? That would account for the "fade to white" with Laura's smiling face at the end of the film. Or would it? Accepting the fact that Cooper literally sacrificed his "soul" to Bob in order to save Annie, why must he wait? Isn't voluntarily surrendering your soul for love enough to grant him page into the White Lodge? Why did his "shadow self" survive? Please debate vigorously.